Secure Multi-hop Telemetry Broadcasts for UAV Swarm Communication

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are evolving as adaptable platforms for a wide range of applications such as precise inspections, emergency response, and remote sensing. Autonomous UAV swarms require efficient and stable communication during deployment for a successful mission execution. For instance, the periodic exchange of telemetry data between all swarm members provides the foundation for formation flight and collision avoidance. However, due to the mobility of the vehicles and instability of wireless transmissions, maintaining a secure and reliable all-to-all communication remains challenging. This paper investigates encrypted and authenticated multi-hop broadcast communication based on the transmission of custom IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi data frames.